Summary

Thinks Frank and he have worked out Pinguicula well and they long to attack Utricularia. Tried several plants with sticky glandular hairs; some few absorb ammonia, but the greater number do not. If JDH sends plant or seed of Lychnis CD will examine it to see whether it catches many flies. Asa Gray has written him much about Sarracenia, with a specimen showing the splendid dodge by which ground insects are enticed up and then drowned. Describes how it may be investigated, to see whether it absorbs decayed matter from flies, or ammonia thus generated.

Summary

Will do experiments CD suggests.

Is sending his book on the poisonous snakes of India [The Thanatophidia of India (1872)].

Summary

JDH should do as he likes with insectivorous plant materials.

He has always thought telling JDH what he has been doing was as good as publishing.

Cephalotus seems as horrid a puzzle as Utricularia.

Nepenthes will turn out a great job if the pitchers of different species act differently. JDH’s paper on Nepenthes [Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): 102–16] is too long for CD’s book. Well deserves a place in Philosophical Transactions.

Summary

It would be interesting to prove that some plants feed on decayed animal matter whilst others like Drosera can digest fresh animal matter. Suggests the method for observing this.

Summary

Discusses effect of atropine solution on eye,

and effect of phosphate of ammonia solution on gland of Drosera.

Would like to see work by T. W. Engelmann and possibly one by Dr De Ruyter.

Summary

Thanks GJR for his letter, regrets pressure of other work prevents his giving GJR’s remarks the attention they deserve. GJR makes clearer how an organ that has started to decrease will go on decreasing.

Summary

After taking advice he has decided to write an explicit denial and short account of his essay and send it to the Quarterly Review.

Summary

The Acacia must be Belt’s "Bulls’ horns".

The complexity of Utricularia has driven Frank and CD almost mad. Suspects it is necrophagous, i.e., it cannot digest, but absorbs decaying animal matter.

Foster is certainly in error. Every insect that Drosera catches causes aggregation.

Summary

Thanks for proofs [of Descent, 2d English ed.].

Publisher would like better photographs for Expression [2d German ed.].

Summary

Cobra poison is a stimulant to protoplasm. Poison acts very differently on cilia and protoplasm of Drosera.

Summary

Discusses Utricularia sent by JP.

Summary

Thanks JP for note.

Sends instructions for mailing Utricularia plants to Down in his absence.

Summary

Suggests experiment involving cobra poison on white corpuscles. Thanks for offer of Crotalus poison.

Summary

Hasty note to express his most decided opinion that letter [to Q. Rev.] should not give a sketch of GHD’s essay – only an explicit denial "& do not allude to me".

Summary

Has read THF’s article on Coronilla [see 9400] – "a very curious case"; is troubled by C. emerus.

Summary

Thanks for Drosophyllum. No longer needs Utricularia.

Summary

Asks for a specimen of Pinguicula.

Summary

Arrangements for the visit to Southampton.

Summary

Has been examining Utricularia minor. Same essential structure but catches smaller Entomostraca. One bladder had 24, another 20, and another 15 Entomostraca. "What slaughter! We must make out the functions of the beast––".

Summary

Two Nepenthes have devoured two pieces of fibrin [sketch shows size] in three days.

Has CD any objection to JDH’s giving an account of CD’s Drosera observations at Belfast [BAAS meeting] in a résumé of pitcher-plant results ["Address to the department of botany and zoology", Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): 102–16]?